JPH10109593A - Housing type auxiliary step for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To house an auxiliary step at the minimum size by parallel moving the auxiliary step in the right or left front direction and projecting it in the bottom front direction of the vehicle step. SOLUTION: In 4 state of housing an auxiliary step 1, when a crank 16 and a connecting rod 17 are stacked on each other so that a drive shaft l5, pivot 18, 19 are positioned on a line, the pivot 18 is arranged from a dead point A, where the pivot 18 positioned on its track, to a position X exceeding the dead point A and under such a state, the auxiliary step l arranged on the tip parts of arms 12, 12a and support arm 21 is arranged in a housing part 3. When a drive source is operated in a state of housing the auxiliary step 1, the crank 16 is rotated counterclockwise and the left-side arm 12 is rotated in a direction of projecting the auxiliary step 1 frontward by the connecting rod 17 interlocked therewith by setting the fixed shaft 8 as the rotation center.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle disposed between a ground surface and a vehicle step in a step of a vehicle such as a bus or a one-box car.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, steps provided at entrances of vehicles such as buses and one-box cars have a height difference between the ground and the ground surface so as to hinder the getting on and off. It can be seen that a retractable auxiliary step is provided to be able to protrude forward on the side of getting on and off so as to eliminate a height difference at the time of getting on and off.

For example, an auxiliary step shown in FIG. 7 is installed immediately below a vehicle step x, interlocks when a door is opened, and slides forward in a state where the door is opened and the height is maintained. For this reason, the position from the ground was too high to step on before, and the original auxiliary step y as a foot joint
Was not achieved.

Recently, however, vehicles have been developed in which the floor of the vehicle itself is lowered and the position of the vehicle step x is also low, and the auxiliary step y is provided below the vehicle step x to provide the auxiliary step y. Has been able to fulfill its role.

However, in this auxiliary step y,
In order to protrude from the inside of the lower part of the vehicle so as to protrude forward from the vehicle step y, at least a part to be stepped on by a passenger and a rail (not shown) slidably supporting the left and right sides of the auxiliary step x are formed on the base of the auxiliary step x. It has the disadvantages that it requires an area for holding the end, requires a large storage space, and requires a drive source with a large output to move the auxiliary step x having such a large area back and forth. I was

The rail supporting the auxiliary step y only supports the left and right sides of the auxiliary step y.
There is a drawback that the sinking occurs due to the stepping on of the passenger, resulting in poor stability.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the auxiliary steps can be stored with a minimum size, the drive source can be reduced in size,
It is another object of the present invention to provide a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle which has improved stability when getting on and off the vehicle.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of the problem of minimizing the storage space of an auxiliary step based on the above-mentioned prior art, and is directed to each of a pair of fixed shafts vertically suspended at left and right symmetrical positions below a vehicle step. , The base end of a lever rod of the same length is pivotally connected, and the distal end thereof is pivotally connected to both ends of the connecting rod, so that each of the base ends of the lever rod has a turning radius around the fixed axis. Along with fixing the base end of the arm having the same length, the distal end of the arm is pivotally connected to the bottom of the auxiliary step, and one of the arms is connected to a drive source by a suitable transmission means, so that the parallel movement of the arm allows While maintaining the horizontal state of the auxiliary step, move it parallel to the right or left forward so that it protrudes toward the lower front of the vehicle step, so that the minimum depth required for passengers to step on is sufficient. Auxiliary steps below vehicle steps In the manner stored, it is obtained by eliminating cents above drawbacks.

In view of the problem of stability at the time of getting on and off, a separate fixed shaft is vertically provided on a perpendicular bisector of the pair of fixed shafts, and the fixed shaft has the same turning radius as the arm. By pivoting the base end of the support arm and pivoting the distal end of the support arm behind the bottom of the auxiliary step, the auxiliary step 1
The above-mentioned drawbacks have been solved by always maintaining the horizontal state of the auxiliary step stably by three-point support by the left and right arms supporting the arm and the tip of the central support arm.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to the present invention. The auxiliary step 1 is formed in a substantially horizontally long rectangular shape. An auxiliary step 1 is provided below the vehicle step 2 at the entrance of a vehicle such as a bus or a one-box car as a storage unit 3.

Further, operating mechanisms 4, 4a of the auxiliary step 1 are provided at the left and right positions in the lateral width direction (the direction of the wheel base of the vehicle) of the storage section 3, and the operating mechanisms 4, 4a have the same left and right structures. Each component in the parts 4 and 4a is disposed at a symmetric position in the left-right direction.

Reference numerals 5 and 5a denote support substrates formed in a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the depth direction of the storage unit 3 (the width direction of the vehicle). And it is horizontally arranged and fixed below the vehicle step 2.

The supporting substrates 5 and 5a are fixed to a stay (not shown) provided below the vehicle step 2 or a frame of the vehicle.

In FIG. 1, a horizontally-long rectangular central substrate 6 is provided between the rear portions of the supporting substrates 5 and 5a.
A drive source storage box 7 for the operation mechanism units 4 and 4a is fixed substantially in front of the center substrate 6 at the center.

Further, each of the front portions of the support substrates 5 and 5a has
A pair of fixed shafts 8 and 8a are vertically installed, and the fixed shafts 8 and 8a are respectively pivotally attached to the base ends of levers 9 and 9a of the same length that swing on the same horizontal plane. Both ends of a connecting rod 10 having a predetermined length are pivotally connected to the distal ends of the connecting rods 9 and 9a, and a parallel crank mechanism is constituted by the lever rods 9 and 9a and the connecting rod 10.
Is always in parallel motion.

The substantially cylindrical rotating bearings 11 and 11a, which are the base ends of the levers 9 and 9a, respectively, have the base ends of the arms 12 and 12a having the fixed shafts 8 and 8a as the rotation axes. It is fixed.

Then, the hanging shafts 13 and 13a are provided at the left and right symmetrical portions of the bottom of the auxiliary step 1, and the tips of the arms 12 and 12a are pivotally attached to the hanging shafts 13 and 13a. ing.

Each of the arms 12, 12a has a radius of rotation about the fixed shaft 8, 8a, that is, the arm 12, 12a in plan view.
The distance connecting the centers of the fixed shafts 8 and 8a at the base end of the 12a and the centers of the hanging shafts 13 and 13a at the distal end is the same length, and the shape of the arms 12, 12a is basically substantially J-shaped. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the left arm 12 is connected to a drive mechanism 14 to be described later. As in the case, it is bent.

The drive mechanism section 14 stores and fixes a drive source comprising a drive motor (not shown) in the drive source storage box 7 and projects a drive shaft 15 of the drive source below the drive source storage box 7. In addition, the base end of the crank 16 is fixed to the drive shaft 15, and the base end of the connecting rod 17 is pivotally connected to the distal end of the crank 16 by a pivot 18, and the base end of the left arm 12 is connected to the distal end of the connecting rod 17. The part near the part is pivotally connected at a pivot 19.

On the central substrate 6, a fixed shaft 20 is separately provided on the perpendicular bisector of the fixed shafts 8 and 8a.
A base end of a support arm 21 having the same radius of rotation as the arms 12 and 12a is pivotally attached to the fixed shaft 20.
The tip of the arm 12, 12a is pivotally attached to the hanging shaft 22 at the back of the bottom of the auxiliary step 1.

Reference numeral 23 denotes a substantially cylindrical rotary bearing which is a base end of a support arm 21 rotatably mounted on the fixed shaft 20.

The operation of the drive source causes the crank 16,
When the left arm 12 is swung through the connecting rod 17, the lever 9 to which the arm 12 is fixed also rotates, and the right arm 12 a is rotated by the parallel crank mechanism including the levers 9 and 9 a and the connecting rod 10. , The auxiliary step 1 is extended from the storage section 3 or stored in the storage section 3, and the central support arm 21 is followed by the movement of the auxiliary step 1.

Then, the storage of the auxiliary step 1 is completed at the position X which exceeds the dead point A on the track of the pivot 18 where the crank 16 and the connecting rod 17 overlap and the drive shaft 15 and the pivots 18 and 19 are aligned. The crank 16 and the connecting rod 17 are fully extended and the drive shaft 15, the pivot 18,
19 is set such that the extension of the auxiliary step 1 in the forward direction is completed at a position Y beyond the dead center B on the trajectory of the pivot 18 which is located on a straight line.

In the above-described embodiment, the drive source is a drive motor. However, the present invention is not limited to this type, and the drive source may be an actuator such as a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder. In this case, the crank 16 and the connecting rod 17 become unnecessary, and instead of the connecting rod 17, a cylinder rod is pivotally mounted near the base end of the left arm 12, and the cylinder body is rotatable on the driving source storage box 7 on a horizontal plane. Is pivoted to

Next, the operation of the retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, in the retracted state of the auxiliary step 1, the crank 16 and the connecting rod 17 overlap and the drive shaft 15, In a state where the pivots 18 and 19 are located on a straight line, from the dead point A where the pivot 18 is located on its trajectory, a position X where the pivot 18 exceeds the dead center A
In such a state, the arms 12, 12
a and an auxiliary step 1 disposed at the tip of the support arm 21
Are held in the storage section 3 and the auxiliary step 1 is disposed in the storage section 3.

When the drive source is operated in the retracted state of the auxiliary step 1, the crank 16 rotates counterclockwise, and the connecting rod 17 linked to this rotates the left arm 12 in FIG. Is rotated in the direction in which the auxiliary step 1 projects forward with the rotation center as a rotation center.

At the same time, the lever 9 to which the arm 12 is fixed also rotates, and the right arm 12a is interlocked by a parallel crank mechanism comprising the levers 9, 9a and the connecting rod 10, and this is rotated about the fixed shaft 8a. By rotating the arm 12 in the same direction as the arm 12 and the arms 12 and 12a moving in parallel, the auxiliary step 1 is moved in parallel while maintaining the horizontal position, and is projected from the storage unit 3 to the lower front of the vehicle step 2. .

With the movement of the auxiliary step 1, the center support arm 21 also moves in parallel while supporting the auxiliary step 1 so as to follow the other arms 12, 12a.

The auxiliary step 1 is always maintained in a horizontal state by three-point support by the arms 12 and 12a for supporting the left and right and the tip of the support arm 21.

In the state where the auxiliary step 1 is completely extended, as shown in FIG. 4, when the crank 16 and the connecting rod 17 are fully extended and the drive shaft 15, the pivots 18 and 19 are located on a straight line, A dead center B beyond which the pivot 18 is located is located at a position Y from a dead center B where the pivot 18 is located on its trajectory.

When the auxiliary step 1 is stored, the driving source is rotated in the reverse direction to that described above, and the crank 16 is rotated clockwise, whereby the respective components operate in the reverse procedure to the above, and the auxiliary step 1 is stored.

[0032]

In short, according to the present invention, the base ends of lever rods 9 and 9a of the same length are pivotally mounted on a pair of fixed shafts 8 and 8a vertically suspended at the lower left and right symmetric positions of the vehicle step 2, respectively. ,
Since the distal end is pivotally connected to both ends of the connecting rod 10, a parallel crank mechanism can be formed by the levers 9 and 9a and the connecting rod 10, so that the lever is fixed to the base end of the levers 9 and 9a. The driving force from the driving source is transmitted to both the arms 12 and 12a that support the auxiliary step 1, and the auxiliary step 1 is stored or extended by both the left and right arms 12 and 12a with the transmission power. I can do it.

The bases of the arms 12, 12a having the same radius of rotation about the fixed shafts 8, 8a are fixed to the bases of the levers 9, 9a, respectively. The arm 12 is pivotally connected to the bottom of the auxiliary step 1 and one of the arms 12, 12a is connected to a drive source by a suitable transmission means.
12a can be moved in parallel at the same speed, so that the horizontal state of the auxiliary step 1 can be always maintained, and this can be translated rightward or leftward forward to project forward in the lower part of the vehicle step 2. , Can sufficiently fulfill the role of a joint.

Therefore, according to the present invention, since the auxiliary step x is not configured to advance and retreat in the width direction of the vehicle as in the related art, the auxiliary step 1 needs only the minimum depth necessary for the passenger to step on. The size of the auxiliary step 1 can be minimized, whereby the drive source can be downsized and the storage space for the auxiliary step 1 can be minimized.

Further, the parallel movement of the arms 12, 12a having the same power transmission by the above-mentioned parallel crank mechanism makes the moving speed of the auxiliary step 1 at the time of storing and projecting the same, thereby improving the mobility. Since the load applied to the driving source can be reduced, the driving source can be downsized.

The arms 12, 12 are provided at the bottom of the auxiliary step 1.
a can be connected, so that the arms 12, 12a do not hinder getting on and off.

Further, a fixed shaft 20 is separately provided at a lower portion of the vehicle step 2 and on a vertical bisector of the fixed shafts 8 and 8a, and the radius of rotation of the fixed shaft 20 is the same as that of the arms 12 and 12a. Since the base end of the elongated support arm 21 is pivotally mounted, and the distal end of the support arm 21 is pivotally mounted behind the bottom of the auxiliary step 1, the left and right arms 12, 12 supporting the auxiliary step 1 are supported.
a and the three-point support by the tip of the central support arm 21 can always maintain the horizontal state of the auxiliary step 1 stably. Even when the auxiliary step 1 is depressed, the auxiliary step 1 can be prevented from sinking in response to a load applied in front of the auxiliary step 1, and the auxiliary step 1 does not tilt and can always maintain its horizontal state.

The drive source is a drive motor, and the drive motor is connected to one of the arms 12 and 12a via a crank 16 and a connecting rod 17 connected to the drive motor. Since the pivots 18 and 19 of the connecting rod 17 are set at the position X which exceeds the dead point A on the trajectory, the auxiliary step 1 does not protrude naturally in the retracted state. In addition, even if vibration or the like at the time of traveling acts or the drive motor fails, the auxiliary step 1 does not protrude without permission, so that safety during traveling of the vehicle can be achieved.

Further, since the cranks 16 and the pivots 18, 19 of the connecting rod 17 are set at the position Y beyond the dead center B on the trajectory when the auxiliary step 1 is extended,
Since a person does not sink or displace even when a person is on the auxiliary step 1 and does not move even when a lateral load is applied, the stable horizontal state of the auxiliary step 1 can be maintained, and the auxiliary step 1 can serve as a safe foot joint. I can do it.

Further, since the drive source is an actuator such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder and the cylinder rod of the actuator is connected to one of the arms 12 and 12a, the actuator can be used in place of the drive motor. In such a case, the use of a drive motor can eliminate the need for the crank 16 and connecting rod 17 which are necessary, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the mechanism. It is.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to the present invention in a retracted state.

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a right side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view when the retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle is overhanging.

FIG. 5 is a front view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a right side view of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Auxiliary step 2 Vehicle step 8, 8a Fixed shaft 9, 9a Lever rod 10 Connecting rod 12, 12a Arm 16 Crank 17 Connecting rod 20 Fixed shaft 21 Support arm

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A base end of a lever rod of the same length is pivotally mounted on each of a pair of fixed shafts vertically suspended at left and right symmetrical positions below a vehicle step, and the distal end is pivotally connected to both ends of a connecting rod. The base end of the arm having the same rotation radius around the fixed axis is fixed to each of the base ends of the levers, and the front end is pivotally attached to the bottom of the auxiliary step. A retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle, wherein one of the arms is connected to a drive source by a transmission means as appropriate. 2. A support arm, wherein a fixed shaft is separately provided at a lower portion of a vehicle step and on a perpendicular bisector of the pair of fixed shafts, and the fixed shaft has a rotation radius equal to that of the arm. 2. The retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a base end is pivotally mounted, and a distal end of the support arm is pivotally mounted rearward of a bottom of the auxiliary step. 3. A drive motor is used as a drive source, and the drive motor is connected to one of the arms through a crank and a connecting rod connected to the drive motor. When the auxiliary step is retracted, the pivot of the crank and the connecting rod is connected to the drive motor. On the other hand, when the auxiliary step is extended, the pivot of the crank and the connecting rod is set to be beyond the dead center on the orbit so that it is located beyond the dead center on the orbit. 3. The retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The retractable auxiliary step for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the drive source is an actuator such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, and a cylinder rod of the actuator is connected to one of the arms.